Michael Atkins
Michael Atkins (1747-1812) was an English-born Irish actor and theatre manager. He has been described as "the single most important person in the early history of theatre in Belfast.He was the son of Michael Atkins, a singer who was in the Drury Lane company in the 1760s, while his uncle Charles Atkins was an actor active around the same time. Atkins appeared in London's West End in his youth, but primarily made his career in Ireland at the Belfast Theatre and its satellites at Newry, Derry and Sligo. He was acting at the Smock Alley Theatre in Dublin from the early 1760s, and in the latter years of the decade was involved with James Parker's company in Belfast.
From 1773 he assembled a company at Belfast's Mill Gate Theatre. From 1778 to 1780 he was acting at the Crow Street Theatre in Dublin, before returning to the Mill Gate in 1781. Those who appeared in Belfast during the period included Andrew Cherry, William Macready. In 1783 Atkins oversaw the construction of a new, larger theatre in the city's Rosemary Lane and starred the rising actress Anne Brunton there. In 1791 he moved to another new venue in Arthur Street. After some financial difficulties in subsequent years, he returned to strength in the early 1800s. He headlined the actor Montague Talbot, and engaged Sarah Siddons play opposite him on fourteen nights in 1802. In August 1803 Atkins gave the child actor Master Betty his first professional appearance in Belfast, before he went on to stardom in London. In 1805, the year Siddons returned to appear in Belfast, Atkins recruited the young Edmund Kean.
The same year he retired from management after thirty two years and sold his rights in the company to Thomas Ludford Bellamy but continued to act. He died on 15 April 1812 in Ann Street in Belfast. He was married to a Belfast-born actress Catherine Hutton and had three children with her, all of whom had some involvement with the theatre, and his granddaughter married William Macready. Provided by Wikipedia
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5by Gillies Stephen D, Kovar Andreas, Gooding William, Whiteside Theresa L, Atkins Michael B, Kirkwood John M, Ribas Antoni, Kashala Oscar, Morse Michael AGet full text
Published 2009-07-01
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6by Wang Xiaoen, Zhang Liang, Goldberg S Nahum, Bhasin Manoj, Brown Victoria, Alsop David C, Signoretti Sabina, Mier James W, Atkins Michael B, Bhatt Rupal SGet full text
Published 2011-12-01
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7by Wu Cheng-Cang, deJong Pieter, Atkins Michael, Saski Chris, Fleury Delphine, Shi Bujun, Ariyadasa Ruvini, Schulte Daniela, Graner Andreas, Langridge Peter, Stein NilsGet full text
Published 2011-05-01
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8by Fountzilas George, Panagiotou Petros, Markopoulos Christos, Stratigos Alexandros, Polyzos Aristidis, Tsoutsos Dimosthenis, Pectasides Eirini, Buchbinder Elizabeth, Metaxas Yannis, Spyropoulou-Vlachou Maria, Koon Henry, Dafni Urania, Gogas Helen, Castana Ourania, Skarlos Pantelis, Atkins Michael B, Kirkwood John MGet full text
Published 2010-11-01
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9by Fox Bernard A, Schendel Dolores J, Butterfield Lisa H, Aamdal Steinar, Allison James P, Ascierto Paolo, Atkins Michael B, Bartunkova Jirina, Bergmann Lothar, Berinstein Neil, Bonorino Cristina C, Borden Ernest, Bramson Jonathan L, Britten Cedrik M, Cao Xuetao, Carson William E, Chang Alfred E, Characiejus Dainius, Choudhury A Raja, Coukos George, de Gruijl Tanja, Dillman Robert O, Dolstra Harry, Dranoff Glenn, Durrant Lindy G, Finke James H, Galon Jerome, Gollob Jared A, Gouttefangeas Cécile, Grizzi Fabio, Guida Michele, Håkansson Leif, Hege Kristen, Herberman Ronald B, Hodi F Stephen, Hoos Axel, Huber Christoph, Hwu Patrick, Imai Kohzoh, Jaffee Elizabeth M, Janetzki Sylvia, June Carl H, Kalinski Pawel, Kaufman Howard L, Kawakami Koji, Kawakami Yutaka, Keilholtz Ulrich, Khleif Samir N, Kiessling Rolf, Kotlan Beatrix, Kroemer Guido, Lapointe Rejean, Levitsky Hyam I, Lotze Michael T, Maccalli Cristina, Maio Michele, Marschner Jens-Peter, Mastrangelo Michael J, Masucci Giuseppe, Melero Ignacio, Melief Cornelius, Murphy William J, Nelson Brad, Nicolini Andrea, Nishimura Michael I, Odunsi Kunle, Ohashi Pamela S, O'Donnell-Tormey Jill, Old Lloyd J, Ottensmeier Christian, Papamichail Michael, Parmiani Giorgio, Pawelec Graham, Proietti Enrico, Qin Shukui, Rees Robert, Ribas Antoni, Ridolfi Ruggero, Ritter Gerd, Rivoltini Licia, Romero Pedro J, Salem Mohamed L, Scheper Rik J, Seliger Barbara, Sharma Padmanee, Shiku Hiroshi, Singh-Jasuja Harpreet, Song Wenru, Straten Per, Tahara Hideaki, Tian Zhigang, van Der Burg Sjoerd H, von Hoegen Paul, Wang Ena, Welters Marij JP, Winter Hauke, Withington Tara, Wolchok Jedd D, Xiao Weihua, Zitvogel Laurence, Zwierzina Heinz, Marincola Francesco M, Gajewski Thomas F, Wigginton Jon M, Disis Mary LGet full text
Published 2011-12-01
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